Integrated dental implant component and tool for placement of a dental implant component

ABSTRACT

An integrated dental component, carrier and affixation tool provides a clinician with a large object to hold the dental component, and allows for single-handed orientation, placement and fastening with the integration of an affixation tool.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention is directed toward the placement of componentsinto the oral cavity. More particularly, the invention relates to anintegrated component and carrier.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

During dental procedures especially those involving dental implants andthe like, the clinician must often grab, carry, orient, and then placethe dental component into the correct position in the patient's mouth.While holding onto the dental component to prevent the soft tissue fromejecting the component, the clinician will often use his or her otherhand to rotate a screw driver to fix the part in place. Because of thesmall size of the dental components, often only 15 mm in length at most,the parts are difficult to handle and grasp, especially in the vicinityof neighboring teeth. This is further exacerbated by a clinician'sreduced dexterity when wearing gloves.

A need exists for a tool and component that will facilitate thegrasping, manipulation, placement and orientation of such components. By“component” as used herein it is intended to mean any device orconstruct useful in dental procedures, such as for example, implants,implant abutments, dental appliances, and the like. The invention isexemplified herein with respect to a scan flag as may be used duringdental implant treatment procedures.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An integrated dental component and tool driver according to the presentinvention comprises two features that are integrated into one device.The lower portion of the driver features an asymmetrical, conical taper.The conical taper provide a friction fit engagement between the lowerdriver component and the dental component such as a scan flag whilemaintaining the ability to turn and rotate the component. The upperportion of the driver is a screwdriver or other device that allows theclinician to tighten the screw inside the dental component or otherwisemanipulate its affixation mechanism.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded view of an integrated dental component and toolaccording to the concepts of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the non-exploded integrated tool of FIG.1, shown being manipulated in the oral cavity.

FIG. 3 is a partially exploded, perspective view of the integrated toolof FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a partially exploded, perspective view of the integrated toolof FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a non-exploded view of the integrated tool of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of one portion of the integrated tool ofFIG. 1

FIG. 7 is a sectional, side elevational view of the integrated tool ofFIG. 5.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

The drawing figures show an integrated device 10 according to thepresent invention, that assists a clinician in the handling, placement,orientation, and fixation of a dental component, such as an otherwiseconventional, screw-retained dental scan flag 11 to the oral cavity,such as to a dental implant 12 (FIG. 7). The dental component to beplaced may be for example, a dental scan flag 11 as shown on thedrawings, which digitally registers the location of an implant inside apatient's mouth. However, the driver assembly 10 can also be configuredfor use with a variety of dental components, including for example,impression transfers and pick-ups, abutments, healing caps, healingabutments and the like (not shown).

The preferred driver has two features that are integrated into onedevice. The lower portion 13 of the driver 10 has an asymmetrical,conical taper 20. The dental component 11 has an aperture 21 which ispreferably complementary in shape to taper 20. Taper 20 is receivablewithin aperture 21 to provide a friction fit engagement between as shownin FIG. 7. An upper portion 30 of the driver is a screwdriver 31 orother tool useful with dental component 11 as will be describedhereinbelow.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 5, the device 10 is configurable such that thecomponent 11 receives taper 20. Thus as is shown in FIG. 2, theclinician 40 may grasp the device 10, position it within the oral cavity41 of the patient, manipulate the orientation of the component 11 asnecessary and otherwise place and affix the component 11 as needed.

The proposed carrier-driver concept provides a clinician with a largerobject to hold the dental component 10, and also allows forsingle-handed orientation, placement and fastening with the integrationof a tool such as screwdriver 31. The clinician does not need to holdthe component in place with one hand, while using the other hand totighten a screw driver as was required with the prior art. Once thecomponent 11 (again, exemplified as a scan flag on the drawings) isattached to the driver assembly lower portion 13 and upper portion 30(preferably accomplished outside the mouth), the clinician only needs tohandle one integrated driver component 10 instead of handling both thescan flag 11 and a driver separately 31. Once set in place, the driverassembly (13, 30) can easily be removed without the use of tools due tothe friction fit between the dental component 11 and taper 20 as wasdescribed. Using the driver/carrier (13, 30) not only affords theclinician with single handed operation, but it also allows for more freespace in the patient's mouth and provides better sight when locating andplacing the dental components.

FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 are a sequence showing an upper and lower portion 30,13 assembled and being physically connected by the aforementionedfriction fit. FIG. 3 shows the upper/lower 30/13 assembly separate fromthe scan flag 11. FIG. 4 depicts taper 20 partially inserted intocomplementary aperture 21, while FIG. 5 shows the taper 20 fullyreceived within and frictionally secured within aperture 21, therebyforming the integrated tool 10. It will be appreciated that in theassembled version shown in FIG. 5, a clinician 40 may easily grasp,manipulate and place scan flag 11 within the oral cavity 41. While afriction fit is preferred, it will be appreciated that any means ofsecuring lower portion 13 to scan flag 11 (or whatever component isemployed) is within the scope of the invention. Further, it is alsowithin the scope of the invention to not employ upper portion 30 at allor even to make upper portion 30 and lower portion 13 one, monolithicpiece, all of which are within the scope of the invention.

In one embodiment of the invention, screwdriver 31 is retained within abore 42 in upper portion 30 and may also project through a second bore43 in lower portion 13. A bias means such as coil 50 may be placedwithin bore 42 to bias screwdriver 31 in a desired direction. There isalso preferably a means to affix upper portion 30 to lower portion 13,such as clip 51 (FIG. 7).

1. An integrated dental component and tool driver comprising a lowerportion having an asymmetrical, conical taper, said conical taperproviding a friction fit engagement between said lower portion and thedental component, such that rotating said tool driver effects rotationof the dental component.
 2. An integrated dental component and tooldriver as in claim 1, wherein the dental component is a scan flag.
 3. Anintegrated dental component and tool driver as in claim 1, an upperportion removably received within a bore in said lower portion.
 4. Anintegrated dental component and tool driver as in claim 3, furthercomprising a bias member positioned within said bore and biasing thetool driver in a desired direction.
 5. An integrated dental componentand tool driver as in claim 4, wherein said bias member is a coilspring.
 6. An integrated dental component and tool driver as in claim 3,wherein the dental component has an aperture that receives at least apart of said lower portion in a removable manner.
 7. A method of placinga dental component comprising the steps of providing an integrateddental component and tool driver wherein the tool driver has a lowerportion having an asymmetrical, conical taper removably receivablewithin the dental component.
 8. A method as in claim 7, furthercomprising an upper portion removably receiving at least a part of thetool driver within a bore therein, and wherein said upper portion isremovably received within an aperture in the dental component.
 9. Amethod as in claim 7 wherein a user places the integrated dentalcomponent and tool driver in a desired location and removed the tooldriver from the dental component.
 10. A method as in claim 9, whereinthe tool driver is then used to physically manipulate the positioning ofthe dental component.